Rotary label transfer apparatus

ABSTRACT

ROTARY LABEL TRANSFER APPARATUS OR GRIPPING CYLINDER HAVING A SERIES OF PROJECTABLE AND RETRACTABLE LABEL CARRYING PALLETS AND A CORRESPONDING SERIES OF OPENABLE AND CLOSEABLE GRIPPERS FOR HOLDING LABELS ON THE PALLETS. ONE STATIONARY CAM DIRECTLY CONTROLS SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS OF THE PALLETS, AND MECHANISM RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE PALLETS CONTROLS THE GRIPPERS FOR THE NEXT SUCCEEDING PALLETS. THE CAM IS DESIRABLY MADE UP OF AN ASSEMBLY OF ADJUSTABLE CAM SEGMENTS.

July 24, 1973 G. BEUTL 3,748,210

ROTARY LABEL TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I

4 Fig. 2

INVENTOR 7 2HA2D @5071 QM M 4%- ATTORNEY' July 24, 1973 G. BEUTL ROTARY LABEL TRANSFER APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1971 INVENTOR 652/0190 -5Efl7'4 QJMMW (MM ATTORNEYS July 24, 1973 G. BEUTL ROTARY LABEL TRANSFER APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 12, 1971 INVENTOR 360 2 EHAQO 1a, M QM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,748,210 ROTARY LABEL TRANSFER APPARATUS Gerhard Beutl, N eutraubling, Germany, assignor to Kronseder, Herrmann, Neutraubling, Germany Filed July 12, 1971, Ser. No. 161,759 Claims priority, application Germany, July 17, 1970, P 20 35 477.2 Int. Cl. B65c 9/08, 9/00; B65h /12 US. Cl. 156-567 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION German Pat. 852,373 and German published patent application 16200 VII/81b show typical prior art rotary label transfer mechanisms in which pallets are successively projected and retracted and adjacent grippers function to hold and release labels with respect to the pallets. In these prior art devices separate and independent vertically spaced cams control the respective functions of the pallets and the grippers. The need for separate vertically spaced cams results in the apparatus having substantial height and also increases the cost of the label transfer apparatus.

The substantial height of the prior art label transfer mechanisms is a disadvantage if a plurality of separate label transfer mechanisms are arranged one on top of the other on a single axis, for simultaneously applying several labels to a container at different levels. The substantial height of these devices increases the minimum spacing between adjacent labels and such prior art devices are hence limited to certain sizes and types of containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide label transfer apparatus which has little height and is of a simple and inexpensive construction.

This object is achieved in the label transfer apparatus of the present invention by a mechanism which relies upon a single stationary cam to directly control the several label carrying pallets. The grippers are actuated in timed sequence to the pallets, but by mechanism which is responsive to the movement of the pallets. Accordingly, the single cam indirectly controls and actuates the grippers. In the preferred embodiments, the movement of one pallet controls the gripper for the next succeeding pallet.

By reason of the present invention, one of the cams and its associated elements of the prior art is eliminated, thus reducing the height requirements of the label transfer apparatus. The single cam moves the pallet for the purpose of projecting and retracting it in the course of transferring a label from the label turret to the container. Other movements of the pallet are generated by the single cam for the purpose of actuating the gripper adjacent the next succeeding pallet.

Different parts of the cam have different cam surfaces or lobes to control the various pallet movements. In preferred embodiments of the invention the cam is made of separate segments which are adjustably connected so that fine adjustments and the timing of the cam with re- Patented July 24, 1973 spect to the cam followers of the pallets can be separately adjusted to suit exact labeling conditions.

The cam surface which controls the outward radial movement of the pallet, to apply the label to the container, occupies a very short sector of the cam. The remaining cam surfaces thereon are utilized for gripper control functions.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of label transfer apparatus embodying the invention, portions of the upper cover plate being removed to expose interior details.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line A-B of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the control cam which is made in three segments, as mounted in its retainer pan.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the three cam segments and the retainer pan in which they fit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The label transfer apparatus comprises a gripper cylinder or rotor 25 having a base plate 1 and an axially spaced cover plate 2 connected by a hub 3 driven by the labeling machine drive shaft 4. In the disclosed embodiment there are six label applying pallets or pads 16 respectively mounted on slides 6 which are radially movable with respect to hub 3 within radially disposed slideways 5 which are confined between the base plate 1 and cover plate 2.

Each slide 6 has a radially extending socket or bore within which a coil spring 7 is disposed to bias the slide 6 and its pallet 16 radially outwardly. Coil spring 7 has one end seated against the hub 3 an its other end resting against the base of the socket. Desirably a pilot rod or bolt 8 secured to the hub 3 guides expansion and contraction of the spring 7.

Each slide 6 carries at its inner end a depending cam roller 9. The cam roller 9 fits within a cam track 30 of a stationary cam 10.

The cam 10 consists of an adjustably fixed pan-shaped housing 11 which has a peripheral rim 31 and a center hub 32 within which the hub extension 3' of rotor rub 3 is free to turn. Within the housing 11 there are three separately adjustable cam segments 12, 13, 14. As best shown in FIG. 4, cam segments 12, 13, 14 are adjustably clamped by means of bolts 33 to tapped holes 34 in the base of the housing 11. Each cam segment has elongated openings 35 through which the bolts 33 extend, thus to permit independent circumferential adjustment of the respective segments 12, 13, 14.

Cam segment 12 is twice as thick as cam segments 13, 14 and consists of an arcuate strip having notched ends 36. Cam segment 13 is a short arcuate piece which fits into the gap between the notched ends 36 of segment 12. Cam segment 14 is a somewhat longer arcuate piece which overlies short cam segment 13. The ends of cam segment 14 overlap with and fit into the notched ends 36 of cam segment 12, thus to completely span said gap and form a continuous cam surface of the single cam 10.

When the screws 33 are adjusted the elongated openings 35 in the segments permit circumferential movement of one segment with respect to another for proper timing of the cam follower.

The slides 6 carry at their ends label carrying surfaces or pallets 16 which are desirably made of resilient pad material. The pads or pallets 16 are mounted on plates which function as strikers or actuators for the gripper lugs 20. Adjacent each pallet 16 there is a gripper finger 17 for labels carried on the succeeding pallet. Each gripper finger 17 is attached to a bracket 18 pivotally mounted on a pintle 19. The respective gripper fingers 17 extend toward engagement with a gripper anvil 23. Each gripper bracket 18 is also provided with an actuating lug of wear resistant material and which is in the path of retraction of pallet plate 15 on the preceding pallet. The respective gripper brackets 18 are biased by springs 22 toward a position in which the gripper fingers 17 engage the anvils 23, thus to grip labels therebetween. However, when the pallet plates 15 retract to engage the lugs 20, springs 22 will be compressed to open the gripper fingers and release the labels. Springs 22 are coiled around pilot rods 21 pivotally mounted to the rotor on pintles 24.

The various parts rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows. The label transfer rotor rotates past a label cylinder 37 from which label 38 is picked up and is carried around in the direction of arrow 43 to a container such as a bottle 40. Bottle 40 has a neck 42 which is offset rearwardly from the body 40, thus requiring radial projection of the pallet to apply the label 38 thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment, there are six label applying pallets 16. The respective successive positions of these pallets 16 as the rotor turns are indicated by the reference characters a, b, c, d, e, 1.

Starting with the pallet in position a, the cam follower roller "9 for this pallet will be disposed against the elevated portion 13 of cam segment 13. This cam portion 13' also conforms in profile to elevated surface 14' of overlapped cam segment 14. Accordingly, the slide 6 for the pallet 16 in position a is completely retracted inwardly against spring 7 and the plate 15 of this pallet is engaged with the lug 20 of the next following gripper bracket 18 for the pallet 16 in position 1, to keep its gripper finger 17 open as the rotor turns in the direction of the arrow 43. The gripper finger 17 for the pallet 16 in position a has clamped the leading edge of label 38 against anvil 23, thus to transfer the label from cylinder 37 to the rotor 25, because the slide 6 for the pallet 16 at position b has been forced radially outwardly somewhat because its cam follower roller 9 has moved radially outwardly along the slope 13" of cam segment 13 and along a correspondingly shaped portion of the cam segment 14. Accordingly, spring 7 forces the slide 6 outwardly to its position indicated at b, thus relieving gripper finger pressure on the lug 20 and permitting spring 22 to close the gripper finger 17 against anvil 23 and the intervening label 38. Accordingly, the label 38 is gripped at its leading edge and will lie against the pad 16 as the rotor continues to turn in the direction of arrow 43.

Through positions a and d of the pallet 16 its cam follower roller 9 will travel upon the constant radius portion 12 of the cam segment 12 and the gripper finger 17 remains closed. As the rotor nears position e for the pallet 16, its cam follower roller 9 will drop into the recessed portion 12" of cam segment 12 and spring 7 of the slide 6 thrusts the pallet 16 outwardly to its position e, thus?) to apply the label 3 8 to the neck 42 of bottle 40'. Gripper (finger 17 for the next following pallet at position d remains closed.

As the pallet 16 moves into position e, the leading edge of the label 38 heretofore gripped by the preceding gripper finger 17 will be released because the preceding pallet at position f retracts inwardly as its cam follower roller 9 climbs up on cam lobe 12 (same profile as cam lobe 12') to the point where cam follower roller 9 climbs up lobe 14" on cam segment 14, pallet plate 15 strikes lug 20 and compresses spring 22, thus to pivot the gripper bracket 18 about its bolt 19 and open the gripper finger 17. The finger 17 will remain open until the slide of the preceding pallet reaches position b as aforesaid. The operation then repeats.

Accordingly, a single cam 10 which directly controls the movement of the pallets 16 functions to also actuate the gripper fingers 17, thus eliminating the need for an additional cam for gripper actuation. While in the preferred embodiment the pallets move radially on slides, it is also possible to mount the pallets on other movable mechanism, such as swing arms, etc.

I claim:

1. In label transfer apparatus having a series of projectable and retractable label carrying pallets and a corresponding series of openable and closabie grippers for holding labels on said pallets, the improvement for actuating the pallets and grippers and comprising one stationary cam for direct control of pallet movement and means responsive to the movement of one pallet for control of the gripper for the next adjacent pallet.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which said label transfer apparatus comprises a rotor having radially disposed slideways for said pallets, said pallets having slides in said slideways, and cam followers on said slides, said means comprising gripper actuators on said pallets.

3. The invention of claim 2 in which said grippers comprise pivoted fingers having thrust receiving lugs in the path of gripper actuator movement.

4. The invention of claim 2 in which said slides are provided with springs to bias them outwardly, said cam bearing on said cam follower to oppose said springs.

5. The invention of claim 3 in which said grippers have springs biasing them toward closed position, pressure of said actuators on said lugs opening said grippers against the action of said springs.

6. The invention of claim 1 in which said stationary cam comprises separately adjustable cam segments and fasteners to hold said segments in adjusted assembly.

7. The invention of claim 6 in which said cam segments comprise a first arcuate segment with an arcuate gap, a second segment in said gap and a third arcuate segment overlying said second segment and overlapping end portions of the first segment.

8. The invention of claim 7 in which said first segment has notched ends in which said third segment interfits.

9. The invention of claim 6 in combination with a retainer pan for said segments.

10. The invention of claim 6 in which said cam segments comprise a first segment having a cam surface for control of slide movement, a second segment having a cam surface for opening the grippers and a third segment having a cam surface for closing the grippers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,586,580 6/1971 'Dullinger 156-558 X 3,379,601 4/1968 Pagay 156-571 X 1,133,602 3/1915 Woodland 156-56=l X 3,450,586 6/1969 Caulford et a1. 156-568 X 2,967,636 1/1961 Manas et al 156-571 X 3,591,168 7/1971 Zodrow 156-568 X 3,567,559 3/1971 Dullinger 156-571 3,673,043 6/1972 Carter 156-567 X PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

